Denwen
The Denwen is a dragon breed created by Corrade (J-Haskell on Deviantart) based on the firebreathing dragons that appear in ''Empire of Ivory ''but were never given any description beyond that. Range While originating in the Saharan desert, they were hunted to near-extinction there and under a dozen individuals reside there today; under Muhammad Ali of Egypt efforts have been made to domesticate the remaining Denwen and use them in the Ottoman aerial corps. Most Denwen live in the Gobi and Kalahari deserts, however, and while the vast majority are feral with no loyalty to human nations, a few have been domesticated by the Tswana Empire. Temperament Denwen must be taken in the egg if there is to be any chance of harnessing; no wild individuals have ever been tamed, and will not serve men in any fashion. Even under the best of circumstances, they are a naturally feral breed that does not like to listen to orders, and rarely accepts a Captain. When they do choose a handler, they often pick those who they view as most similar to themselves; headstrong, defiant, and even aggressive, making Denwen and their Captains a truly unpredictable pair. The rearing of a Denwen dragonet requires dedication; they are playful and need constant attention lest they become destructive or jealous. They like playing with other dragonets near their size, and can be rather rough, although they never intentionally harm others in play. Their horns first appear at four months of age, small nubs of pale bone, and grow quickly over the following weeks. At this time, they will also begin breathing fire. Once they have reached full size, their horns will change from pale white to a deep, blue-black hue, signifying that the dragonet has reached maturity. This usually occurs around a year-and-a-half in age. Adult Denwen are extremely vain, and spend much of their idle time ‘grooming’ themselves by breathing gouts of flame over their scales. This constant wash of heat turns their scales, greyish and dull as a dragonet, into a dozen shades of blue, gleaming like sapphires in the sunlight. Any parts of them that they cannot reach with fire - such as their horns or face - are rubbed against rocks, trees, and the sides of buildings to achieve the same effect. This does not mean, however, that they do not enjoy a good shoving match with other dragons, and will attempt to wrestle any dragon of equal or larger size, even the most immense of Regal Coppers. When not grooming themselves, Denwen are not content to lay idle in the covert for long, and often go out for long flights on their own if not offered anything to keep them busy. In battle, Denwen show no fear, and their Captains struggle to reign them in, especially if it comes time for a retreat. Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths The strengths of the breed are obvious: they are quite strong, and are capable of using their enormous horns like battering rams, breathe concentrated gouts of flame, and have a strong thirst for battle. Weaknesses Denwen are no great strategists, and the extent of their battle-planning is usually ‘rush in and set everything on fire’. It is best not to leave tactics up to them. Denwen love warmth and sun, and make their misery known to everyone around them on cloudy days. They also hate being wet. They are diurnal by nature and have extremely poor night vision. Should you require one to participate in a nighttime raid, be sure that there is at least some light source to guide their flight, as otherwise… well, they tend to make their own. Lastly, Denwen take great joy in fighting other dragons, and have little interest in setting ships - or men - aflame, as it is ‘a waste of their abilities’ Famous Individuals The most famous of Denwen was Cleopatra’s dragon, a rather large individual named Sekhmet; she was described as being a deep, glittering blue, and practically invisible on a clear day. She was killed in the battle of Actium. The first recorded Denwen was simply named ‘Denwen’, and during the time of Ancient Egypt, nearly burned the empire to the ground. He was only stopped from destroying Egypt by the valiant efforts of the Pharoah, who, after a long battle, slew the monstrous beast. Category:Dragon Breeds Category:Corrade